


Happy New Years

by hchollym



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode AU: s02e25 Girl Meets the New Year, Kissing, M/M, Slash, Teen Angst, sexual identity confusion, slight age gap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 14:10:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6523315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hchollym/pseuds/hchollym
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Farkle feels alone on New Year's Eve, a certain uncle of Riley's could change that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy New Years

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU where the episode "Girl Meets the New Year" ended differently. 
> 
> It bothered me that Smackle made her attraction to Lucas so obvious - Aspergers or not - because I think Farkle deserves better. 
> 
> And as much as I love Larkle (my OTP for this show), this ship is my guilty pleasure. 
> 
> Comments are always lovely <3

Farkle sighed, lost in his own thoughts as he sat on the bench outside of Riley’s building. His friends were all upstairs celebrating New Year’s Eve, but he didn’t feel much like celebrating. He doubted that anyone even realized his absence. It had been like that for a while now – Maya, Riley, and Lucas were so wrapped up in each other that Farkle had become just another face in the background. 

It was like he was fading away from his friends – being pushed to the sidelines – and it hurt. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment that things had changed, but now it seemed like it was too late to fix what was broken. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t hear the footsteps approaching. 

“Hey Farkle,” said the familiar voice. Farkle looked up to see Riley’s Uncle Josh and gave him a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Hey Josh,” he responded with false cheer. The older teen sat down next to him on the bench, eyeing Farkle curiously.

“You okay?” He asked, his expression one of concern. Farkle flashed him a fake smile. 

“I’m fine,” he lied, but Josh didn’t look convinced. Farkle almost laughed out loud at the irony – Josh, who barely knew him, could tell when he was upset, but his _best_ friends didn’t even notice. How screwed up was that? 

Josh didn’t say anything, but he leaned back against the bench to get comfortable, waiting patiently for Farkle to speak again. He had never seen the younger boy look so downtrodden. Farkle was usually grinning and acting completely ridiculous, but in an adorable way. This was the same boy that claimed he was going to rule the world one day, so why did he look like he’d given up on even living in it? 

And why was he by himself? He should be with Maya, Riley, and Lucas on New Year’s Eve. They were his best friends, so it didn’t make sense that they would leave him out here alone. As Josh was lost in his own musings, Farkle became increasingly uncomfortable with the silence. It seemed to stretch on and on forever. 

“What are you doing here?” He finally blurted out. Josh was pulled back from his thoughts, and while he noticed that Farkle was avoiding any conversation about whatever was bothering him, he didn’t press the matter. 

“I was going to go to Riley’s party, but I think I’d rather stay down here for a while,” the older teen replied nonchalantly. Farkle merely sighed in response, and it sounded so defeated that it made something inside Josh ache. 

“You should go up. I don’t want to ruin your New Year’s Eve,” he replied, his tone self-deprecating in a way that seemed so wrong coming from Farkle. Josh leaned forward, looking at Farkle with surprisingly caring eyes. 

“Why don’t you let me decide where I want to be and who I want to be with, okay?” His tone was gentle but firm, and Farkle swallowed from their proximity before nodding. Josh smiled and leaned back again.

“So are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” He looked at Farkle like a puzzle that he was trying to figure out, but not in an insulting way. He didn’t make the younger boy feel like a freak or some specimen in a lab – he simply looked like he wanted to understand him. There was empathy in his eyes that made Farkle feel as if he wanted to spill his deepest secrets. 

He bit his lip and considered his options. He really didn’t want to bother Josh with his pathetic hurt feelings, but he was tired of keeping them to himself. Josh was here, unlike the rest of his friends, and that counted for something. 

“Smackle and I broke up,” he finally said, deciding that he had nothing to lose by talking to the older teen. Josh blinked, obviously surprised that Farkle had been dating anyone at all, but then his look changed to one of sympathy. 

“I’m sorry man. Break ups can be rough.” Josh had certainly been through his fair share of them to know how much they sucked. 

“What happened?” he pressed. Farkle laughed, though it was lacking in any humor. 

“She was more interested in Lucas than me, just like everyone else. I thought that I could deal with it, you know? I mean, why wouldn’t she like him better than me? But she kept making it obvious when I was standing right there… I don’t know. It just hurt. I don’t want to be someone’s second choice or consolation prize, you know?” 

His eyes were shining with repressed pain when he looked at Josh, and the other teen had to swallow over the lump that had formed in his throat. Hearing Farkle talk about himself as if he was less than Lucas made his stomach squirm. It just seemed so _wrong_. Josh was quiet for a moment longer before responding. 

“You shouldn’t settle for being anyone’s second. You deserve so much more than that,” he said softly. Farkle looked at him skeptically, but he saw nothing short of sincerity in the older boy’s expression.

“Thanks,” he said cautiously. He was a little taken aback by Josh’s kindness and support, especially considering that they barely knew each other. He knew that he should stop talking, but it felt like a flood gate had been opened and now he couldn’t stop the rushing waters. 

“I know that Lucas is great, but it can be hard when everyone in the world and their mother likes your best friend, but no one seems to like you, you know? Before Lucas came along, Riley and Maya were my best friends, and they still are, but lately it seems like they don’t even notice when I’m around because they’re both too busy looking at Lucas. When he’s around, I just disappear, and I’m okay with that with most people, but it even happens with my friends _and_ my girlfriend – ex-girlfriend now, but still. I just, I don’t know. I’m tired of it.” He finished his rant with a sigh, running his hand through his hair.

Josh stared at Farkle in shock, wondering where all of this insecurity had come from. Had it been there all along, just hidden beneath the surface? Farkle had always seemed so confidant, and he _should_ be. He was a freaking genius, and he was kind and loyal and goofy and sweet. He was pretty amazing, though Josh had never realized it until that moment. The thought took him by surprise, but it was there now, and it wasn’t going away. He looked at the younger boy seriously. 

“Farkle, listen to me. I don’t know everything about the situation, but I know that Riley and Maya are your friends, and they do care about you. They depend on you, and their lives wouldn’t be the same without you. I know that right now it seems like everyone is too focused on Lucas to notice you, but they’re teen girls who are caught up in romance. It’ll pass, and soon, they’ll go back to being your friends like they were before. If not, then talk to them. They definitely aren’t doing it on purpose, and they would hate to know that you feel this way,” he finished. 

He knew that Maya and Riley loved Farkle as a friend – he had seen it. He didn’t want Farkle to ever doubt that he was cared about. The girls just needed a little reminding not to take him for granted sometimes. Farkle swallowed, feeling incredibly touched by the other’s words. 

“Thank you,” he whispered, looking at the ground. His eyes started to sting, and he fought to hold back all of the emotions that had been threatening to overwhelm him the past few weeks. He refused to break down and cry in front of Riley’s uncle. He already felt pathetic enough for pouring his heart out to the unsuspecting teen, and he was not going to humiliate himself further. 

Farkle looked so vulnerable in that moment that Josh had the sudden urge to take him in his arms and protect him from the world. He had never felt that way about anyone before, and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. 

“Any time,” he replied honestly. Farkle wasn’t the same “Doctor Turtleneck” that he had met before; he had grown up. The moon was shining down on them, and the way it lit up Farkle’s face made his skin look like it was glowing. He was beautiful, Josh suddenly realized. 

The realization was like a blow to the chest, and it seemed so surreal and strange that Josh had to look away. His mind was racing, and it felt like his heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest. He didn’t know where all of this was coming from.

They both heard counting, and they looked up in surprise, realizing that midnight and the New Year was only seconds away. Farkle grinned, and it fit him so much better than the sad look that he wore earlier. Josh found himself grinning back, despite the inner turmoil that he was experiencing, and they both joined in on the countdown for the final seconds. 

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1!” As soon as the countdown was over, Josh pressed his lips against Farkle’s. He had gotten swept up in the moment and acted without thinking, but it just seemed so perfectly _right_. The younger teen froze in shock, warmth spreading through his body in a way that he had never experienced. 

Josh pulled away quickly, looking guilty and like he was about to apologize, but Farkle didn’t want to hear it. He crashed his lips back against the older boy’s, and it only took a second for Josh to respond. His hands wrapped around Farkle’s waist and pulled him closer as one of Farkle’s hands cupped Josh’s face and the other tangled in his hair. 

Farkle had no idea what was going on, but it felt good. He had never thought about Josh in that way before, but now it seemed insane not to. His head was spinning, and the fireworks in the sky seemed to mirror what he was feeling inside. 

All of the confusion and doubts were erased from Josh’s mind as he focused on the feel of Farkle’s lips against his own. The kiss was frantic and slightly desperate, but it was intoxicating. He felt like he was getting high, and he didn’t want it to end. 

When they were finally forced to separate from lack of oxygen, they were both panting. They stared into each other’s eyes, simply breathing in the same air and trying to process what just happened. Josh couldn’t stop the grin that formed on his face, and Farkle returned it with a shy one of his own. 

Neither of them were sure what the hell was happening between them, but they had the rest of the year to figure it out. Tonight, they would just feel without thinking. Tonight, they would celebrate. 

“Happy New Years, Farkle,” Josh whispered happily, and Farkle couldn’t help but think that it was.


End file.
